Sow seeds on Wednesday and have a crunchy lunch on Saturday. Jane Powers on healthy fast food
Home-grown winter vegetables are very welcome at this time of the year, but their worthy, stewpot aura leaves me craving something more zingy and fresh. Sprouts satisfy that desire. Not the Brussels kind but bean sprouts, pea sprouts and the sprouts of various other seeds.
You won't find a fresher or faster crop: you can have a yearning for them on a Wednesday and have a batch grown and eaten by Saturday lunchtime. And, what's more, they're bursting with vitamins, minerals, proteins and amino acids.
My favourite at the moment are sprouted chickpeas. I often eat them raw, one by one, not really on purpose but because their crisp, sweet, nuttiness is irresistible - they are an absurdly healthy snack food. I'm partial to embryonic lentils, too; they make a crunchy and palate-cleansing salad when tossed in a light oil and soy sauce dressing.
Other members of the pea family are suitable for eating at the infant stage. Among them are aduki beans, alfalfa, fenugreek, all whole lentils (not orange split lentils), mung beans and peas. You can also sprout soy and pinto beans, but these are best cooked before eating, as they can be hard to digest otherwise. Kidney beans should not be used for sprouting as they contain a harmful enzyme that must be heated to be deactivated.
Broccoli, cabbage, rocket, beetroot and radish produce sprouts in three to six days. Many grains, including millet, quinoa and wheat, are also good sprouters, taking about two to four days to do their thing. Onion and leek make tasty sprouts, but can take up to two weeks to produce eating-sized shoots.
Don't attempt to sprout the dregs of your old garden seed packets, as these may have been treated with chemicals. Buy seeds and pulses from food shops or from a company whose seeds are specifically for sprouting. Thompson & Morgan has an interesting range (but I have to warn you that some of the common legumes, such as chickpeas and lentils, are unreasonably priced).
You can sprout seeds in a wide-mouthed jar with a bit of muslin fastened over the opening. If you don't have muslin, use that useful substitute, a piece of old tights.
However, if you become a committed sproutarian, it's worth buying a proper sprouter (available from some health food shops), which makes it easier to rinse and drain the seeds effectively.
The actual business of growing the sprouts is easy, and usually fast - it's a good way to instil in young people an interest in matters horticultural. Frequent rinsing, good drainage and air circulation are essential for a successful crop. And good hygiene: make sure your container is squeaky clean before starting. The warm and wet conditions that make your little seeds grow are also ideal for fungi and bacteria. If your sprouts smell yeasty or mouldy, throw them out.
Sprouted seeds may expand from three to 10 times their original size, so you need less than you might think. Discard any broken or suspect seeds and rinse the remainder in cold water. Soak until plump (usually six-12 hours, although quinoa usually takes less than an hour). Rinse well and drain well (seeds should sit in no water at all). Keep in a warm room, away from direct sunlight (next to the kitchen sink is ideal) and rinse well every eight hours or so. Most sprouts are ready to eat in three to five days. They will keep in the fridge for a few days if you dry them well after their final rinse.